"May Heaven hear you, John Davis," the Borderers shouted, "and restore us our Chief."
"I am going to descend the precipice," the American said; "I will inspect its most secret recesses, and before sunrise we shall know what we have to hope or fear."
This proposal of John Davis' was greeted as it deserved, by enthusiastic shouts. When the excitement of the hearers had slightly calmed, the American prepared to carry out his design.
"Permit me a remark," said an old wood ranger.
"Speak, Ruperto, what is it?" Davis answered.
"I have known the spot where we now are for a long time, and have often hunted deer and antelopes here."
"Come to facts, my friend."
"You can act as you please, John Davis, on the information I am about to give you; by turning to the right, after marching for about three miles, you get round the hills, and what appears to us from here a precipice, is, in fact, only a plain, very enclosed, I allow, but easy to traverse on horseback."
"Ah, ah," John said thoughtfully, "and what do you conclude from that, Ruperto?"
"That it would be, perhaps, better to mount and skirt the hills."